Smoking bans

Germany's Health Minister Ulla Schmidt, announcing the restrictions at a news conference in Berlin, said that no change in law was necessary to introduce the ban in federal buildings, and it was up to the individual ministries to determine how they would implement the veto on smoking.

"Those who do not smoke should not have their health put at risk because they are forced to meet smokers in a room without wanting to do so," Schmidt said.

The minister said there could soon be a smoking ban in interstate passenger trains. Schmidt said that smokers who flew long distances also coped with not being able to light up a cigarette.

In addition, the legal age for purchasing tobacco products would increase from 16 to 18.

Plans for a national smoking ban fell through last week because it is the 16 states, not the federal government, which have power over local government facilities such as schools and hospitals, as well as places such as bars and restaurants.

State leaders aim for joint no-smoking policy

At a joint premiers meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday, state leaders said they aimed to draft a unified no-smoking policy by March next year.

The Lower Saxony State Premier Christian Wulff said states hoped to avoid a "patchwork" of varying restrictions and would form a committee to draft a national policy "by February-March."

Wulff and Merkel emphasized that the state and federal governments saw the protection of non-smokers as an urgent task.

Currently German politicians have a wide range of views, with some saying voluntary provision for non-smokers by the hospitality industry is enough. Others are campaigning for a blanket smoking ban in bars and restaurants.